Electric light socket for refrigerator panels



W. J. PU ETZ Jan. 17, 1961 ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET FOR REFRIGERATOR PANELS Filed Aug. 25, 1958 stllilulnl'? United States Patent O ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET FOR REFRIGERATOR PANELS William J. Puetz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Holwin Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 756,897

2 Claims. (Cl. 339-59) My invention relates to a facile, quick and safe electrical connection for an installed self sealing electric light socket for refrigerator panels to an electrical source of power.

It is among the objects of my invention to eliminate the need of attached electrical wires prior to installation of an electric light socket for refrigerator panels.

A further object of my invention is to provide such an installation with means for its facile, quick and safe connection to an electrical source of power. My invention is particularly designed for safety and to meet the requirements of underwriters for safety in electrical apparatus.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments of my invention, yet it is to be understood that the same are susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. l is a side elevational view of the socket shown in the Holloway Patent 2,460',- 636; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view and Fig. 3 is a rear elevational View of the same; Fig. 4 is a front View of the refrigerator panel and socket opening; Fig. 5 is a front view of my improved socket showing the insulating sheaths on the connectors; Fig. 6 is a top plan View of my socket without the connectors and sheaths; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of my preferred form of socket partially broken away; Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the connector slots; Fig. 9 is a top plan view of my socket showing the slits in normal closed position; Fig. 10 is a top plan view showing the slits forced open to receive the connectors and Fig. ll is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing my new socket.

This invention is on an improvement in a self sealing electric light socket for refrigerator panels. I use a socket similar to that disclosed in the said Holloway patent. This socket comprises a body member 10 preferably formed of molded rubber or any material suiciently soft and flexible to permit movement hereinafter described. Extending rearwardly from the rear of body member 10, this socket has a pair of insulated electrical wires 11 and 12 which lead to an electrical source of power.

Body member 10 has a hollow interior with a front opening. Within its interior is mounted a screw-threaded metal shell base 13, which is adapted to receive the base of an electric light bulb. Shell base 13 is connected to electric wires 11 and 12 to operate a light bulb.

This socket is adapted to be installed in a refrigerator panel 14, which is provided with a single egg-shaped socket opening 15. It is customary to place opening 15 in the panel which forms the back wall of the refrigerator, directly behind and at the lower edge of the freezer section.

Body member 10 is provided at its exterior with an Patented `ian. 17, 1961 ICC outwardly projecting integral upper flange 16, which extends obliquely along each side of body member 10 and along the lower front and the top rear of body member 10.

On both sides of body member 1t) adjacent its basef and extending obliquely forward and downward are integral side anges 17 and 18, which extend outwardly from body member 10. Side flanges 17 and 1S are spaced slightly from upper ange 16 to provide a groove between side tlanges 17 and 18 and upper liange 16. Side flanges 17 and 18 extend for approximately one-half of the length of body member 10.

On the front of body member 1li, directly beneath the front opening is an integral front ilange 19, which is spaced slightly from upper llange 16 to form a groove therebetween. Front flange 19 extends outwardly from body member 10 for approximately one-half of the distance that upper flange 16 extends.

On the rear of body member 1t) is an integral rear ange 20, which extends outwardly from body member 10 and is spaced slightly from upper flange 16 to form a groove therebetween. Rear flange 20 terminates adjacent the ends of side anges 17 and 18.

Instead of spaced flanges 17, 18. 19 and 2G, on the opposite side of the groove from flange 16, there may be a continuous ange.

This socket'may be quickly and easily installed in a refrigerator panel.

Body member 10 is pulled upwardly through the larger end of socket opening 15. It is then pushed rearwardly until the rear edge of socket opening 15 is held between upper flange 16 and rear flange 2l). Body member 10 is then twisted until the side edges of socket opening 15 are held between upper ange 16 and side ange 17 and 18. The front of body member 10 is then pushed downwardly until front flange 19 snaps under panel 14, so that the front edge of socket opening 15 is held between upper ilange 16 and front ange 19.

This installation can be made by a trained worker in less than three seconds, without the use of any tools or equipment. Once the socket is installed, upper ilange 16 grips the entire edge of socket opening 15 and is held tightly at against the face of refrigerator panel 14. This provides a seal which prevents any moisture from passing through socket opening 15.

In the said Holloway patent, a pair of insulated electrical wires 11 and 12 are provided. They are adapted for attachment to a harness or lead directly to an electrical source of supply. Refrigerator manufacturers who install these sockets in their refrigerators would prefer in many instances that wires 11 and 12 be omitted from the socket. It is easier to attach the sockets without the wires and reduces the cost of labor in installation. After the socket has been installed and the refrigerator is ready for use it is necessary to have means for attachment of the socket to a source of electrical power. In order to solve this problem, I provided a pair of spaced metal electrical terminals 30 and 31, extending within and attached to body member 10 by metal rivets 29 on insulating insert 34', with one of said metal rivets 29 also attaching metal electrical terminal 30 to shell base 13. I removed a portion of the rear end of body member 10 adjacent each terminal 30 and 31 to provide an opening 32, so as to permit the reception and insertion of a connector 33. It was necessary to surround each connector 33 with an insulation sheath 34 of non-conductor material. Objections were that the sheath 34 was expensive. lt was thick and clumsy and made the connectors dificult to attach to the terminal. Furthermore, openings 32 were exposed to moisture and foreign matter and created a safety hazard.

In order to solve the foregoing problems, I provided the rear end of body member with an extension 35. Within body member 10 the pair of spaced metal terminals 30 and 31 are provided and attached at their inner ends to body member 10` by rivets 29 or'the like with one of the rivets 29 also attaching metal terminal 30 to shell base 13. The metal terminals 30 and 31 end short of the rear end of body member 10. Said body member 10 and extension 35 are hollowed out toprovide a slot 36 around each terminal 30 and 31. Each slot 36 ends short of the rear end of extension 35. A smaller round opening 37 communicates with each slot 36 and extends through the rear end of extension 35. A normally closed slit 38 is cut through and across the rear end of extension 35 and extends through and beyond each opening 37.

In use of this construction, a pair of connectors 33 are inserted into spaced slits 38, which are stretched open by force to permit entry of the connectors. The connectors are moved until they are in attachment with terminals 30 and 31. When such attachment is effected the connectors 33 are housed completely within extension 35. Slits 38 have sprung back to closed position and insulated wires 39 and 40 attached to connectors 33 ll and extend through openings 37.

Since slits 38 have automatically closed after the insertion of the connectors due to thespring reaction of the rubber and openings 37 are lilled by wires 39 and 40, there is complete insulation for connectors 33 and terminals 30 and 31. The springy condition of the rubber had closed the slits and has crimped around the wires 39 and 40 of the connectors for a suitable seal and minimizes the accumulation of moisture or foreign matter to provide a safe electrical connection.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An electric light socket for refrigerator panels comprising a body member of resilient molded rubber having a front opening adapted to receive an electric light bulb, a rear end portion, and opposite anges spaced by a groove extending around the outside of said body member to form an oval separating the front opening of the body member from its rear end portion, said socket adapted to be installed without the use of tools in a single oval shaped opening in a refrigerator panel corresponding in shape to the oval groove formed between said flanges, a pair of spaced metal terminals housed in the rear end portion of said body member to provide an electrical connection with the front opening, said rear end portion hollowed out to provide slots around said metal terminals, said end portion having a closure portion at the outer end of the slots, said closure having a pair of spaced holes communicating with the slots, and a pair of spaced slits extending across the holes, said slits normally in closed position, but adapted to be forced open to permit a pair of electrical connectors to be inserted therethrough into engagement with said metal terminals, said connectors extending entirely within the slots and insulated by the rear end portion and closure of said body member, the slits of which after insertion have returned to normal closed position, said connectors having insulated wires attached thereto extending through the spaced holes in said closure to an electrical source of supply to provide power for the electric light bulb.

2. An electric light socket for refrigerator panels comprising a body member of resilient molded rubber having a front opening adapted to receive an electric light bulb, a rear end portion, and opposite anges spaced by a groove extending around the outside of said body member to form an oval separating the front opening of the body member from its rear end portion, said socket adapted to be installed Without the use of tools in a single oval shaped opening in a refrigerator panel corresponding in shape to the oval groove formed between said flanges, a pair of spaced metal terminals housed in the rear end portion of said body member to provide an electrical connection with the front opening, said rear end portion having a rear extension, said end portion and said extension hollowed` out to provide slots around said metal terminals, said extension having a closure portion at the outer end of the slots, said extension having a pair of spaced holes communicating with the slots, and a pair of spaced slits extending across the holes, said slits normally in closed position, but adapted to be forced open to permit a pair of electrical connectors to be inserted therethrough into engagement with said metal terminals, said connectors extending entirely within the slots and insulated by the rear end portion and closure of said extension, the slits of which after insertion have returned to normal closed position, said connectors having insulated wires attached thereto extending through the spaced holes in said closure to an electrical source of supply to provide power for the electric light bulb.V

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS uvam, 

